| Recommendation | Actions | Priority | Timescale | Owner | Observations | Delivered? | Progress on implementation | |----------------|---------|----------|-----------|-------|--------------|------------|---------------------------| | 1. The Management Committee needs to monitor and champion Knowledge and Information Management within Defra. | The Management Committee has endorsed Defra’s response to the Information Management Assessment. The Chief Operating Officer will oversee further work on this. The Management Committee has agreed to support a programme of work to ensure that staff have access to the right tools to support effective information management and collaboration. | High | On-going | Chief Operating Officer | Information Management is to be reported annually to the Permanent Secretary and Management Committee; next report due June 2013. | In part | Will need to take opportunities to engage Ian Trenholm and use him for communications to DGs and Directors. Possibly report progress to him during 2013. Update 7/11/12: COO engaged & on board, as is Exec C’tee & P/Sec. | | 2. Knowledge Transparency and Resilience Team (KTR) to develop a Knowledge and Information Management Strategy and revised Plan for Core Defra | Develop a Knowledge Strategy for Core Defra and the Defra network. | High | January 2013 | Head of Knowledge, Transparency and Resilience Strategy and Portfolio | | No | In hand Update 7/11/12: Devt of a cross-Network Knowledge Strategy in hand & aim to deliver end Mar 2013 | | 3. Knowledge Services Team to continue to develop a process to appraise the legacy of electronic information. | Implement plans to harmonise appraisal of physical and electronic material as a single process, making use of appropriate project management techniques. | Medium | On-going | Head of Knowledge, Transparency and Resilience Services | Investment already completed in identifying legacy electronic information. Process developed and agreed with TNA to flag up key records as well as low value material. Deletion script developed and tested. | In part | Update 26/09/12 (KA): Orphaned info on 3 Defra servers has been appraised & results are being assessed ahead of TNA progress meeting on 28 Nov. Overlap with ICT work on overburdened Defra servers recognised & will feed into appraisal programme (i.e. removal of low value/very old material). Planning to discuss revised policy re jpeg issues with Standards + revisit proposal to remove pre-2001 information from all servers. A | | Recommendation | Actions | Priority High/Low/Medium | Timescale | Owner | Observations | Delivered? Yes/No | Progress on implementation | |----------------|---------|--------------------------|-----------|-------|--------------|------------------|--------------------------| | | | | | | | | new procedure to remove info older than 3 years from a problem server into a new large storage server is to be tested & results analysed with a view to a rolling programme on other problem servers. | | | | | | | | | **Update 6/11/12 (KA):** Action in hand to delete orphaned & old data from one server (request to run deletion script with IBM). Info older than 5yrs has been removed from problem servers by ICT & placed in new holding server. Planning to raise issue of where to prioritise limited e-appraisal resource once overlap servers i.e. servers with orphaned info that are also near capacity, have been checked. DRO has approved deletion of pre2001 info. Planning to update policies idc. | | | | | | | | | **Update 7/11/12:** In hand – info analysed & deletion programme progressing as detailed above | | | | | | | | | **Update 30/11/2012 (KA):** Agreed with Strategy to bring KS/KP/ICT interests together as a major project. TNA comments (meeting on 28): wherever possible a macro-appraisal approach to servers should be adopted but accept that this is difficult if important info is buried in sub-structures. Will compare server | | Recommendation | Actions | Priority | Timescale | Owner | Observations | Delivered? | Progress on implementation | |----------------|---------|----------|-----------|-------|--------------|------------|-----------------------------| | 4. KTR Team to expand the scope of the Information Asset Register (IAR) for Core Defra to create a management tool which captures the business requirements of the organisation. | Review and develop the IAR as part of the project to implement Defra’s Open Data Strategy and implement. | Medium | July 2013 | Head of Knowledge, Transparency and Resilience Strategy and Portfolio | No | In hand | | | | | | | | | size to equivalent paper file size in order to help understand the breadth of a server macro-appraisal. TNA not accepting e-info for preservation until at least 2014 as already overwhelmed. | | 5. KTR Team to put in place a digital continuity plan to ensure that Defra maintains its ability to use its digital information over time and through change | Build on work already done to develop a Digital Continuity Plan in conjunction with Defra / Group ICT and IT delivery partners. | Medium | March 2013 | Head of Knowledge, Transparency and Resilience Strategy and Portfolio | No | Need to take stock of work done and discuss with key stakeholders in KTR and Defra / Group ICT before developing a plan. | | | | | | | | | Update 7/11/12: Project progressing – PMgr appointed, established contact with TNA to identify solutions | | 6. KTR Team to ensure that individual elements of the ICT Strategy are developed collaboratively | A revised Core Defra Information Services Strategy will be developed covering both Knowledge and Information Management and ICT. | Medium | March 2013 | Head of Knowledge, Transparency and Resilience Strategy and Portfolio | No | Have agreed with Nick Teall that the IS Strategy will be a very high level document underpinned by a Defra Network Knowledge Strategy (to be developed under action 2) and an updated ICT | | Recommendation | Actions | Priority | Timescale | Owner | Observations | Delivered? | Progress on implementation | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------|-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------|---------------------------| | with IS colleagues and embed knowledge management. | | | | | | | | | 7. KTR Team to ensure that every technical change project includes formal representation from a skilled Knowledge and Information Management representative. Defra NOW Programme need to ensure that information and records management, information assurance and Data Protection requirements and concerns are fully represented on the Programme Board. | Improve technical change process to ensure that Knowledge and Information Management issues are fully considered. The Departmental Records Officer represents the Knowledge, Transparency and Resilience Team on the Defra NOW Programme Board. | Medium | On-going | Head of Knowledge, Transparency and Resilience Strategy and Portfolio | Defra NOW Programme expects to start actively working with business areas within the next three months and to complete the full rollout of a single electronic information repository within two years. | In part | |

Strategy. Regular meetings with Nick arranged to progress this.

Update 7/11/12: Regular mtings with NT to progress

Update 7/11/12: KPs now attending meeting with DNOW team to ensure KIM principles raised in discussions.

Update 7/11/12: DRO engaged with DNOW Prog to ensure compliance with IMR standards, etc.

Update 4/12/12: Programme Team have worked with the Business Relationship Team (BRT) and Knowledge Transparency and Resilience (KTR) Team within Information Services to determine the most suitable candidates for the early initiatives. From a potential list of twenty five, three have been selected to take forward. | No | Update 25/9/12 (SL): Other networks (e.g. Transparency contacts) also need considering. A high level map is needed of the various networks to help plan actions. MKi will initially pull this together and work with SL. Liaison and communication with the Network can be done under the banner of the Knowledge Strategy development. | | Update 6/11/12 (MKi): For core-Defra, Table listing current IM roles, responsibilities & options regarding possible future IM roles, has been drawn up for review within KTR. Once agreed, this will be shared with core-Defra Business to seek their views. | | Update 4/1/212 (MKi): As a result of listing current roles & responsibilities, opportunities to rationalise identified. Feedback from core-Defra Business indicates high level of satisfaction with support received from KTR & willingness to support review of roles – proposals will be shared with Business at workshop to be scheduled for Jan 2013. |

| 8. KTR Team to raise capability by retraining staff with Information Management responsibility, this must include Information Asset Owners (IAOs), Local Information Managers (LIMs) and Information Management Representatives (IMRs). | Review Knowledge and Information Management roles across Defra to ensure they are able to support the business and meet legislative requirements effectively under the new Defra organisational structure. | Medium | March 2013 | Head of Knowledge, Transparency and Resilience Services | | Head of Knowledge, Transparency and Resilience Strategy and Portfolio | No | | 9. Using its understanding about its information requirements, KTR Team to introduce and enforce policies about the structure and use of corporate digital repositories, including Accredited Shared Drives, Shared Drives and SharePoint 2007. | Revise information policies to improve advice to business areas. Provide support to help business areas manage their information during the Defra organisational restructuring. Develop ongoing information management support to business areas through new Knowledge Partner roles. | High | July 2012 Throughout 2012 March 2013 | Head of Knowledge, Transparency and Resilience Standards Head of Knowledge, Transparency and Resilience Services | Revision of policies to improve advice to business areas is complete. Knowledge Services Team are supporting business areas in management their information through the organisational restructuring. Further support will be provided as the new Knowledge Partner posts are filled. | In part | Update 7/11/12 (KW): Policies revised & updated & avail on intranet. Plan to rationalise across Delivery network. Approach is to improve IM culture rather than enforce. New team established to engage with the business to encourage best practice. Initial engagements are going well. Team still carrying vacancies. Update 4/12/12 (MKi): Support to Bus Areas going well. KPs engaging with teams. Engaged with 60% of business areas so far to solution IM issues and promote best practice. | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 10. The KTR Team, with support from senior management, needs to maintain the Information Audit Programme and develop a plan to increase the use of what to keep within business areas. | While maintaining the baseline information generated from the Information Audit, KTR will refocus on providing direct support to business areas through the new Knowledge Partners to help make improvements. | Medium | March 2013 | Head of Knowledge, Transparency and Resilience Services | The Knowledge, Transparency and Resilience Services Team will incorporate information audit as a technique to be used where appropriate in understanding information management in business areas. This will help provide more effective support in managing information and applying What to Keep guidance. | In part | Update 7/11/12 (KW): KPs working directly with teams to help solve IM issues raised in Information Audit programme. Aim to achieve better understanding of information holdings as more teams operating in structured environments. WTK to be updated if appropriate. Update 4/12/12 (MKi): Revised approach is to conduct initial risk-based Diagnostic Health Checks | | 11. The KTR Team to provide adequate induction training, educational work | Knowledge, Transparency and Resilience Services team to provide front line support through the new Knowledge Partner roles. Assess scope to make better use of induction | Medium | March 2013 | Head of Knowledge, Transparency and Resilience Services | No | Update 25/9/12 (SL): MKi to kick off work on this and to liaise with SL. Update 6/11/12 (MKi): development of KTR | | 12. Evaluate the appropriateness of the use of a separate email archive system. | Evaluate future requirement for the Vault Email archive under the Defra NOW Programme. | Low | March 2013 | Head of Knowledge, Transparency and Resilience Standards | It is currently intended that that Vault, the current email archive system will be removed once a formal EDRM system with proper lifecycle management of emails | In part | In hand. Mike Kaye to ensure that the need for Vault is removed by Defra NOW. | Update 7/11/12: work progressing in line with corporate policy until DNOW completes |